Let’s Talk About Sex Directed by James Houston, 2009

A revealing look at sexuality and America’s teens

Every day in America 10,000 teenagers catch a sexually transmitted disease, 2,400 young girls get pregnant and 55 young people are infected with HIV.

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX takes a revealing look at how American attitudes toward adolescent sexuality impact today’s teenagers. Director James Houston takes us on a journey to examine trends in American society as personified by a cast of diverse characters. At a high school for pregnant teens in Los Angeles, young girls are contemplating teen parenthood. In Washington, D.C., where HIV infection rates rival several African countries, community outreach workers are trying to save lives.

The film also travels to the Netherlands, where Houston compares European attitudes with those in America, then concludes in Oregon, where the lessons learned in Western Europe are helping to create practical solutions. Real parents and youth, compelling statistics, animation and archival material all combine to paint an urgent picture of American youth in crisis, one that not enough people are talking about.

Reviews

“Whether you have children, teach children, or are around children at all…this movie is a must-see.”—Hugh Jackman

“A humorous and factual approach to the important issue of sexuality education make this a must-see for any American.”—Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

“The silence around sexuality is deafening—and young people are paying the price. This new film provides a vision for the future—for parents, schools, and society.”—Dr. John Santelli, Department Chair, Population and Family health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University